The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-03-03
PAID THE DEATH PENALTY
MRS. DRuSE HANGED FOR THE MUIR
DER OF HER HUSBAND.

HERKIMER, N. Y, March Mrs Roxa-
lima Druse was hanged here at 11:4S p. M,
for the murder of her husband, December IL,
1881 After hanging six minutes she was
pronounced dead. Her last moments were
masked with rare fortitude. u
The condemned woman slept little during
the night. She did not retire until midnight,
and then she refused to undress, saying it was
hardly worth while, as she expected to get
little sleep. When she did sleep her mutter-
ings indicated acute mental torture. At
short intervals during the balance of the
night Mrs Drlse would jump up and ner-
vously resume her writing. She wrote let
ters to her friends, and appeared to find re-
lief in the occupation. Some flowers accom-
panying letter from her daughter Mary,
who is confined in the Syracuse Penitentiary
for life, which were brought TO her last
night seemed to affect her deeply She wrote
touching note to her daughter in reply.
At times she wept quie5ly, particularly when
writing to Mary.
Her bearing, however, as a whole, was res
olute, and her resignation to the inevitable
appeared to increase as the night wore on.
Her fear Of approaching death was neverthe-
less made apparent by occasional exclama-
tions of despair. At times during the night
the watchers thought the unfortunate woman
had found relief in sleep, but they were gen.
orally mistaken. And thus the night wore
on, and the miserable woman at the break of
day was still making an effort to obtain
little rest. At last, finding it was impossible
to sleep, she arose, bathed her face, and be-
gan making preparations for the ordeal
through which she was soon TO pass.
Within the Jail preparations for the hang
ing had been fully completed, and every
thing possible had been done toward a sue
cessful 'consummation of the decree Of the
law. There were very few persons in town
when the day broke, but at. an early hour
teams drawing conveyances began coming
in, notwithstanding the bad condition Of the
roads and low thermometer, The people for
the most part, especially the women, seemed
to deeply sympathize with the condemned
woman.
After dressing herself in a most careful
manner, putting on black cashmere dress,
the murderess sat down to breakfast, but
could not eat any of the food. She was then
Joined by the Rev. DR.. Powell her spiritual
adviser, who prayed with her and in every
way tried to comfort her. He seemed to
have great influence over her, and at times
She seemed composed. Several hymns were
sung which she joined in with apparent fer
vor and her voice could be heard strong and
clear. The morning was spent in praying,
writing and singing, with now and then hys-
terical periods on the part of the condemned
About 11:15 a. H. the jurors, deputies and
other persons appointed to witness the execu-
tion were led up stairs to the cell of the con-
demned woman by Deputy Sheriff Mannion
The Rev. Dr. Powell, H, D. Luce Mrs.
Druses counsel, and Superintendent Terry,
Of the Onandaga penitentiary, were also
present. The death warrant was read to Mrs
Druse in her cell by Sheriff Cook. DIR. Suitor,
who worked up the medical legal evidence
against Mrs Druse, then entered the cell and
took her pulse, which was beating at eighty,
having come down from one hundred in forty
minutes. Mrs. Druse then broke down al
most completely and it was feared she would
have to be carried to the gallows. She, how
ever, after having received some encourage
ment from DR.. Powell, recovered her compo-
sure and the procession to the scaffold was
formed. Sheriff Cook led the way followed
by the prisoner, leaning heavily on the arm
of Rev. DIR. Powell. Her face was greatly
flushed but no tears were she'd although an
expression of utter hopelessness and resigna-
tion, even despair, was plainly visible.
Upon reaching the fatal spot Mrs. Druse
stepped to the middle of the board platform
built upon the ground and lknelt while Dr.
Powell offered up prayer, lasting about
three minutes. Happening to cast her eyes
upward, she caught sight of the dangling
moose, which she had not noticed before, and
a convulsive tremor shook her slight Frame
She also sobbed gently at intervals. At the
end of the prayer both prisoner and clergy
man arose, when DR.. Powell, grasping her
hand, bade her goodbye, and stepped outside
Of the enclosure, so as not to witness the
hanging. Previous to this, however, Mrs
Druse leaned over and whispered to Dr.
Powell request that he thank her friends
who had labored so long and faithfully in
her Lunalf. Mrs Druse still held in her hand
the boquet which her daughter had sent her.
These she gave to the doctor. The
executioner then stepped forward and pin
ioned her arms and legs together The moose
was adjustes and the black cap drawn down
over her face At this point the prisoner
again showed signs of collapse, and began to
shrek and scream at the top of her voice in
a hysterical manner, but the drop of the 215
pounds weight choked her cries in her throat,
and the body of the murderess, whose awful
crime has shocked the entire country, was
sent flying up about four feet, shooting for
ward to the right and settling back to within
a foot and half of the platform Drs. Suiter
and Kay stepped forward and examined the
pulse beats, which were almost imperceptible
After the lapse Of one minute spasmodic
clenching of the fingers occurred, followed
by efforts to draw up the legs. The pulse
also began to beat very rapidly, about 102,
although very feeble. This increased at three
minutes to l40 although still quite weak.
The pulsations were then less rapid, decreas-
ting two minutes later to 100. The heart beats
lat this time were forty-flve per minute. The
lpulse continued to get slower until fifteen
minutes after the drop fell, life was pro-
tnounced extinct by DR.. Suiter. The drop
fell at 1:4S, life was pronounced extinct at
l2:03 and the body was lowered on to the
stretcher at 1914, according to the watch of
the representative of the United Press.
A neat imitation rosewood coffin was
brought in. When the black cap was drawn
back it was found that death had resulted
from asphyxia. The neck and lower portions
of the face were much discolored and the
rope marks were plainly visible The moose
had cut a bunch of flowers and some lace
which she had worn at her neck and forced
them into the flesh. The body was at once
put into the coffin and turned over to DR..
Powell, who will probably take the remains
to the receiving vault of Oak Hill cemetery
and lock them up, until he determines what
final disposition to make of them. The date
OF the funeral has not yet been decided on.
Thus ends this horrible tragedy, the revolt
ing details of which have shocked the COM
munity.
The crime for which Mrs Druse was hanged
was the murder of her husband, William,